Method for sharing hybrid resources in a wireless independent network, a station for the method, and a data format for the method and the station

ABSTRACT

In a system for sharing hybrid resources in an independent network, each one of a plurality of stations preferably employs a sharing authority transferring protocol that allows the network control function to be moved from station to station depending on the network traffic. Although a distributed coordination method is normally used in the network, when an individual station determines that a real-time data stream is intended for the station, an apparatus having a method and data format for the use thereof allows control to be transferred to the targeted station. This allows the targeted station to control the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources using a centralized control method in a direct mode for the duration of the real-time service transmission, thereby optimizing network efficiency. As a result of using the distributed control authority of the present invention, a station may be freely subscribe/withdraw to/from the network.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Notice: More than one reissue application has been filed for a reissueof U.S. Pat. No. 7,453,846. The reissue applications are Reissueapplication Ser. No. 12/718,087, which is for a reissue of U.S. Pat. No.7,453,846, and Continuation Reissue application Ser. Nos. 13/170,786,13/171,092 (the present continuation reissue application), 13/171,255,and 13/171,369, all of which are continuation reissue applications ofReissue application Ser. No. 12/718,087, and all of which are for areissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,453,846. This reissue application is acontinuation reissue application of Reissue application Ser. No.12/718,087 filed on Mar. 5, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. Re. 42,850, which isfor a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,453,846, which issued on Nov. 18, 2008,from application Ser. No. 10/314,295 filed on Dec. 9, 2002, which claimsthe benefit of Korean Application No. 2001-78664 filed on Dec. 12, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wireless independent network based oncarrier sense multiplexing access (CSMA)/collision avoidance (CA). Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a method for sharinghybrid resources in a wireless independent network, a station for themethod, and a data format for the method and the station.

2. Description of the Related Art

Wireless independent networks connect wireless stations without the useof wires in a predetermined area regardless of connections to basenetworks. For example, home networks connecting information regardinghome electronics without the use of wires is a type of wirelessindependent network. Services in a wireless independent network maygenerally be classified into a real-time AudioVideo (AV) streamingservice or a non-real-time AV streaming service.

An environment of such a wireless independent network may becharacterized as follows. First, since network subscribers' interestsconcentrate on a real-time AV streaming service in one independentnetwork, it is rare for a large number of real-time AV services tocoexist in one independent network. Second, a small number of real-timeAV streaming services and a large number of non-real-time AV streamingservices can coexist in one independent network. Third, the real-time AVstreaming service uses a station that is the subject thereof and limitedholding time exists in the service.

In the above-described wireless independent network environment,wireless stations (STAs) typically share wireless communicationsresources. Here, a conventional resource-sharing method may generally beclassified into a distributed coordination method or a centralizedcontrol method.

The distributed coordination method uses a mechanism for minimizingpossible message collisions that occur when stations attempt to use adata channel simultaneously. This mechanism is the IEEE 802.11adistributed coordination function (DCF) based on CSMA/CA. In adistributed coordination method using a DCF, random backoff numbers arecreated to minimize competition-based collisions, the backoff numbersare reduced by stages when a channel is idle for at least apredetermined period of time (in the case of IEEE 802.11, this isreferred to as DCF Interframe Space (DIFS)), and data is transmittedwhen the backoff number becomes “0”. A conventional distributedcoordination method for grading priorities of the occupation ofresources according to a specific type of data includes a PointCoordination Function (PCF) Interframe Space (PIFS) system and a Shortlnterframe Space (SIFS). Priorities of these systems are in therelationship DIFS>PIFS>SIFS, and a station using SIFS has priority overa station using DIFS. However, since a DCF system works on aprobabilistic base, it is still possible for stations to collide.

In the centralized control method, one control station controlsresources shared in a wireless independent network in a bundle. Thus,wireless stations share wireless resources according to the instructionsof the control station. The centralized control method may be subdividedinto a direct mode and an indirect mode. In the direct mode, a controlstation controls the time slots for transmission and reception amongwireless stations so that the wireless stations directly communicatewith one another. The HiperLAN/2 standard is a representative example ofthe direct mode. In the indirect mode, transmission data of all stationsis transmitted to the control station so that the wireless stationsindirectly communicate with one another through the control station.This indirect mode is based on the Bluetooth standard.

Accordingly, in the above-described distributed coordination method, aspecific control station is not required, and a mesh network can beconstituted, and a station may easily subscribe to and withdraw from themesh network. However, the distributed coordination method usesresources ineffectively and cannot support the real-time AV streamingservice. In addition, the centralized control method in the indirectmode cannot support the real-time AV streaming service due to theforwarding of packets, which concentrates loading on the controlstation, and requires the selection of a substitute node when thecontrol station withdraws from the subscribed network. Although thecentralized control method in the direct mode uses resourceseffectively, supports the real-time AV streaming service, andconstitutes the mesh network, loading is concentrated on the controlstation, thus requiring the selection of a substitute node when thecontrol station withdraws from the subscribed network.

The aforementioned conventional resource-sharing methods have manyproblems since they have been developed based on non-real-time services,or due to inflexible structure of networks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an effort to solve the above-described problems, it is a firstfeature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a methodfor sharing hybrid resources in a wireless independent network that canhave the advantages of conventional resource-sharing methods by moreefficiently analyzing the environment of the wireless independentnetwork so that wireless resources are shared adaptive to theenvironment, thereby efficiently supporting real-time services as wellas non-real-time services among the wireless stations.

It is a second feature of an embodiment of the present invention toprovide stations performing the hybrid resources sharing method.

It is a third feature of an embodiment of the present invention toprovide formats of data transmitted among the stations.

Accordingly, a method for sharing wireless hybrid resources amongstations in a wireless independent network preferably includes analyzinga received data stream and obtaining network control for optimallytransferring that data. An analysis is performed to determine whethercurrently transmitted data is related to a real-time service when thesharing of the wireless hybrid resources is controlled by a distributedcoordination method. A sharing control authority is requested andreceived by the distributed coordination method, and the sharing of thewireless hybrid resources is controlled by a centralized control methodin a direct mode until the real-time service ends if it is determinedthat the currently transmitted data is related to the real-time service.The sharing control authority corresponds to an authority which controlsthe sharing of the wireless hybrid resources. If it is determined thatthe currently transmitted data is not related to the real-time service,the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources may be controlled by thedistributed coordination method.

Obtaining network control when the currently transmitted data is relatedto the real-time service preferably includes requesting the sharingcontrol authority by the distributed coordination method if it isdetermined that the currently transmitted data is related to thereal-time service; determining whether the request for the sharingcontrol authority is rejected; controlling the sharing of the wirelesshybrid resources with a request for periodic polling, if it isdetermined that the request is rejected; and then determining whetherthe sharing of the wireless hybrid resources does not need to becontrolled during the real-time service. If it is determined that thesharing of the wireless hybrid resources does not need to be controlledduring the real-time service, control is transferred to theaforementioned requesting step. If it is determined the sharing of thewireless hybrid resources still needs to be controlled during thereal-time service, control is returned to the step for requesting forperiodic polling.

If it is determined that the request for the sharing control authorityis not rejected, the method preferably additionally includes receivingthe sharing control authority and controlling the sharing of thewireless hybrid resources by the centralized control method in thedirect mode; determining whether the real-time service ends andreturning to the receiving step if it is determined that the real-timeservice does not end; and returning the sharing control authority if itis determined that the real-time service ends. In the foregoingadditional steps, the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources ispreferably controlled by the distributed coordination method.

A preferred embodiment of a station for performing the wireless hybridresources sharing method according to the present invention preferablyincludes a transmission data checking unit and a first controller. Thepreferred embodiment of the station may further include a secondcontroller. The transmission data checking unit checks whether thecurrently transmitted data is related to the real-time service andgenerates a control signal in response to the check result. In responseto the control signal, the first controller requests and receives thesharing control authority by the distributed coordination method andcontrols the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources by the centralizedcontrol method in the direct mode until the real-time service ends.Alternately, a second controller may control the sharing of the wirelesshybrid resources by the distributed coordination method in response tothe control signal.

The first controller preferably further includes a request messagebroadcaster, which broadcasts a control authority requesting messagerequesting the sharing control authority by the distributed coordinationmethod in response to the control signal and an enable signal; a requestrejecting message receiver, which receives a control authority requestrejecting message rejecting the request for the sharing controlauthority and outputs a disable signal in response to the receivedresult; a polling requesting unit, which requests periodic polling inresponse to the disable signal and the enable signal; a releasingmessage receiver, which receives a control authority releasing messagein response to the control signal and outputs the enable signal inresponse to the received result; a shared resource controller, whichreceives the sharing control authority in response to the disable signaland controls the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources by thecentralized control method in the direct mode and transmits the sharingcontrol authority releasing message to another station and returns thesharing control authority in response to an ending signal; and a servicechecking unit, which checks whether the real-time service ends andoutputs the checked result as the ending signal. Preferably, a secondcontroller controls the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources by thedistributed coordination method in response to the ending signal.

To operate the foregoing preferred station using the foregoing preferredmethod for sharing wireless hybrid resources, a data format preferablyincludes a control authority requesting message, a control Authorityreleasing message, and a plurality of transmission frames locatedtherebetween. The control authority requesting message requests thesharing control authority by the distributed coordination method. Thecontrol authority releasing message releases the sharing controlauthority. The plurality of transmission frames are spaced apart fromthe control authority requesting message and the control authorityreleasing message, by a PIFS, are also spaced apart from each other byone PIFS, and may have variable lengths.

Each one of the plurality of transmission frames preferably furtherincludes a downlink section in which the real-time service-related datais transmitted to another station and which may have a variable length;a polling section in which the other stations related to the real-timeservice is polled and which has a variable length; and a distributioncontrol section in which non-real-time service-related data istransmitted to another station and which may have a variable length. Thedownlink section is preferably spaced apart from the polling section bya PIFS. The polling section is preferably spaced apart from thedistribution control section by a DIFS. The downlink section preferablyincludes a plurality of packets which are spaced apart from each otherby a PIFS.

In the event that a share request rejection message is received in thestation, a sharing control authority message may also be received. Insuch a case, the shared resource controller is preferably idle for aPIFS period, thereby necessitating the inclusion of a PIFS time periodbetween the time of the request for sharing control authority and thereceipt of the sharing control authority. Additionally, in the event asharing rejection message is transmitted by the sharing controller,preferably a SIFS time period is included in the format between the timeof transmission of the request and the time of receipt of the rejectionmessage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art bydescribing in detail preferred embodiments thereof with reference to theattached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a flowchart of a method for sharing hybrid resourcesin a wireless independent network according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of step 12shown in FIG. 1 according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a station, according to thepresent invention, performing the hybrid resources sharing method shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a firstcontroller shown in FIG. 3 according to the present invention;

FIGS. 5(a), (b), and (c) illustrate data formats for the above-describedhybrid resources sharing method and the station according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of adownlink section shown in FIG. 5(c); and

FIGS. 7(a) and (b) illustrate how the sharing control authority isobtained and how a message rejecting the request for the sharing controlauthority is received from a control station, respectively, after amessage requesting a sharing control authority is broadcasted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Korean Patent Application No. 2001-78664, filed Dec. 12, 2001, andentitled: “Method for Sharing Hybrid Resources in Wireless IndependentNetwork, Station for the Method, and Data Format for the Method and theStation,” is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Hereinafter, a method for sharing hybrid resources in a wirelessindependent network according to the present invention will be describedwith reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, like referencenumerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 illustrates a flowchart of a preferred method for sharing hybridresources in a wireless independent network according to the presentinvention. Selection of either a centralized control method in a directmode or a distributed coordination method is preferably dependent onwhether real-time service-related data is transmitted. In step 10, adetermination is made as to whether currently transmitted data isrelated to a real-time service when the sharing of the wirelessresources is controlled based on the above-described distributedcoordination method. For example, it may be determined that a real-timeAV streaming service is being generated, i.e., the real-time AVstreaming service is provided via a wireless independent network. If thecurrently transmitted data is not related to the real-time service, thedistributed coordination method is retained in step 14.

If, however, the currently transmitted data is related to the real-timeservice when the sharing of the wireless resources is controlled by thedistributed coordination method, in step 12, a station which is thesubject of the real-time service (hereinafter referred to as “subjectstation”) requests a sharing control authority using the distributedcoordination method. After the request is admitted sharing controlauthority is granted to the subject station, and wireless resources areshared under control of the subject station preferably using thecentralized control method in a direct mode for the duration of thetransmission of the corresponding real-time service. At the completionof the real-time service transmission the subject station restores thesharing of the wireless resources to the distributed coordinationmethod.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of step 12shown in FIG. 1 according to the present invention. Step 12 preferablyincludes steps 20 and 22 for requesting the sharing control authority,steps 24 through 28 for controlling the sharing of wireless resourceswith a request for periodic polling when the requested sharing controlauthority is rejected, and steps 30 through 34 for controlling thesharing of the wireless resources by the centralized control method inthe direct mode until the real-time service ends when the requestedsharing control authority is admitted.

After it is determined that the currently transmitted data is related tothe real-time service, in step 20 the subject station requests thesharing control authority using the distributed coordination method,e.g., a DCF system. In step 22, the subject station determines whetherthe request for sharing control authority has been rejected. In otherwords, the subject station determines whether a station currently havinga sharing control authority (hereinafter referred to as a “controlstation”) exists by testing for the existence of a “rejection message”from that control station.

If it is determined that the request for the sharing control authorityis rejected, in step 24 the sharing of the wireless resources iscontrolled while the subject station requests the control station forperiodic polling. For example, if the control station exists, thesubject station cannot be granted the sharing control authority, and thecontrol station maintains the sharing control of the wireless resourcesand a corresponding real-time AV streaming service-related communicationis implemented using the existing method.

In step 26 the subject station determines whether the real-time serviceis still being transmitted, i.e., still in progress. If it is determinedthat the real-time service is still being transmitted, in step 28 thesubject station determines whether the sharing of the wireless resourcesneeds to be controlled. In other words, if it has been determined thatthe real-time service is in process, the subject station monitorswhether a control authority releasing message has been received from thecontrol station.

If it is determined through the periodic polling that the sharing of thewireless resources does not need to be controlled by the control stationfor performing the corresponding real-time service-relatedcommunication, the process returns to step 20. In other words, when thesubject station does not need to be controlled by the control stationany more, it requests the acquisition of the sharing control authorityby the distributed coordination method again. However, if it isdetermined that the subject stations still needs to be controlled by thecontrol station to share the wireless resources when the real-timeservice is in progress, the process returns to step 24.

Alternatively, if it is determined that the request for the sharingcontrol authority has not been rejected, in step 30 the subject stationis granted (i.e., assumes or seizes) the sharing control authority andpreferably controls the sharing of the wireless resources by thecentralized control method in the direct mode. In step 32, it isdetermined whether the real-time service has ended. If it is determinedthat the real-time service has not ended, the process repeats step 30,such that the subject station retains the sharing control authority.However, if it is determined that the real-time service has ended, instep 34 the subject station broadcasts a new control authority releasingmessage to the other stations to return the sharing control authority tothe network. When it is determined that the real-time service is not inprogress in step 26 or after step 34, the subject station changes thesharing controls back to the distributed coordination method.

A preferred embodiment according to the present invention, showing thestructure and operation of stations in an independent network performingthe previously described hybrid resources sharing method will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a station for performing thehybrid resources sharing method shown in FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present invention. The station preferably includes atransmission data checking unit 50, and a first and a second controller52 and 54, respectively. For a better understanding of the presentinvention, the structure and operation of the station shown in FIG. 3will be described assuming that the station is a subject station.

The transmission data checking unit 50 checks whether currentlytransmitted data input via an input port IN1 is related to a real-timeservice and outputs a control signal to first and second controllers 52and 54, respectively. First and second controllers 52 and 54 generateoutput control and data signals in response to the check result.

If first controller 52 is granted a sharing control authority inresponse to the control signal input from the transmission data checkingunit 50, the sharing of wireless resources on a central controls systemin a direct mode is controlled by first controller 52 using acentralized control method in a direct mode until the real-time serviceends. To perform this control function, if it is perceived through thecontrol signal that data input via the input port IN1 is transmissiondata for the real-time service, the first controller 52 outputs a signalrequesting the sharing control authority to the other stations via anoutput port OUT1 and checks whether a message rejecting the request forthe sharing control authority is received from another station, e.g., acontrol station (not shown), via the input port IN1. If the firstcontroller 52 is granted the sharing control authority (i.e., notrejected) data input through the input port IN1 via the transmissiondata checking unit 50 is transmitted to a corresponding station (notshown) via the output port OUT1.

The second controller 54 controls the sharing of the wireless resourcesby the distributed coordination method in response to the control signalinput from the transmission data checking unit 50. Here, the secondcontroller 54 preferably receives data from another station via an inputport IN3 and outputs the data input through the input port IN1 via thetransmission data checking unit 50 to another station via an output portOUT2. Here, the second controller 54 may control the sharing of thewireless resources by the distributed coordination method in response toan ending signal generated when the real-time services ends in the firstcontroller 52.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of thefirst controller 52 shown in FIG. 3. The first controller 52 preferablyincludes a request message broadcaster 70, a request rejecting messagereceiver 72, a polling requesting unit 74, a releasing message receiver76, a shared resource controller 78, and a service checking unit 80.

To perform step 20, in response to the control signal from transmissiondata checking unit 50 via an input port IN4 (indicating that receiveddata is related to a real-time service,) service), the request messagebroadcaster 70 transmits a message requesting control authority to theother stations via an output port OUT3 using the distributedcoordination method. The request message is additionally gated using anenable signal input from the releasing message receiver 76. If one ofthe other stations has sharing control authority (i.e., is processingdata), that “control station” transmits a rejection message to thesubject station. When the control station has completed its dataprocessing activity, it transmits a sharing control authority releasingmessage using the distributed coordination method. If, however, there isno current active control station, no rejection message will bereceived.

To perform step 22, the request rejecting message receiver 72 receivesany message rejecting the request for the sharing control authority viaan input port IN5 and outputs the received message as a disable signalto the polling requesting unit 74 and the shared resource controller 78.In response to the disable signal from the request rejecting messagereceiver 72 and the enable signal input from the releasing messagereceiver 76, the polling requesting unit 74, which performs step 24,requests the periodic polling from the control station via an outputport OUT4. In other words, the polling requesting unit 74 requests theperiodic polling of the control station whenever a rejection message isreceived and the sharing control authority releasing message has not yetbeen received.

To perform steps 26 and 28, in response to the control signal input fromthe transmission data checking unit 50 via the input port IN4(indicating the real-time service) the releasing message receiver 76monitors the control station for the sharing control authority releasingmessage via an input port IN6. When the sharing control authorityreleasing message is received, releasing message receiver 76 outputs anenable signal to the request message broadcaster 70 and the pollingrequesting unit 74. The releasing message receiver 76 may generate anenable signal having a first logic level if the sharing controlauthority releasing message is received from the control station and anenable signal having a second logic level if the control authorityreleasing message is not received from the control station.

For the case where no rejection message is received, the shared resourcecontroller 78, which performs steps 30 and 34, assumes the sharingcontrol authority in response to the disable signal input from therequest rejecting message receiver 72 and thus controls the sharing ofthe wireless resources using the centralized control method in thedirect mode. Here, the shared resource controller 78 may receive datafrom another station via an input port IN7 or may output data for thereal-time service to another station via an output port OUT5. Also, instep 34, the shared resource controller 78 preferably transmits thesharing control authority releasing message to another station via theoutput port OUT5 to return the sharing control authority in response tothe ending signal input from the service checking unit and sharingcontrol authority 80. Although it is not shown as a step in FIG. 2,during the time that the subject station has the control authority, theshared resource controller 78 preferably transmits the sharing controlrejection messages upon being queried by other stations.

The service checking unit 80, which performs step 32, checks whether thereal-time service has ended and outputs the check result as the endingsignal to the shared resource controller 78 and to the second controller54 via the output port OUT6. Here, the second controller 54 controls thesharing of the wireless resources by the distributed coordination methodin response to the ending signal input from the service checking unit80.

Hereinafter, a data format for the hybrid resource-sharing method andthe station according to the present invention will be described withreference to the attached drawings.

FIGS. 5(a), (b), and (c) illustrate a timing diagram of a streamingmessaging signal having a plurality of partitioning sections accordingto a preferred data format for the above-described resource-sharingmethod and station according to the present invention. FIG. 5(a) showssections of the complete data stream and FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c) showexploded views of the partitions of a transmission frame.

According to the present invention, step 10 of the preferred methodshown in FIG. 1 is performed by during a distributed coordination methodduring section 90 shown in FIG. 5(a). Here, if it is determined thatcurrently transmitted data is related to the real-time service, step 12is performed during an adaptive control method section 92 shown in FIG.5(a). For this, the subject station obtains the sharing controlauthority at a starting point 97 of the adaptive control system methodsection 92. The length 96 of the adaptive control system method section92 may vary. When the real-time service ends during step 12, the subjectstation returns the sharing control authority at an ending point 98 ofthe adaptive control system method section 92.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), the adaptive control system method section 92shown in FIG. 5(a) preferably includes a control authority requestingmessage 100, a series of first through n-th transmission frames 102,104, . . . and 106, and a control authority releasing message 108. Thefirst transmission frame 102 is spaced apart from the control authorityrequesting message 100 by a Point Coordination Function (PCF) InterframeSpace (PIFS) 120 and the n-th transmission frame 106 is spaced apartfrom the control authority releasing message 108 by a PIFS 126. Thefirst through n-th transmission frames 102, 104, . . . , and 106 arespaced apart from each other by a PIFS 122 to have priority of theoccupation of the resources over DCF-based wireless stations. Here, thefirst through n-th transmission frames 102, 104, . . . and 106 havelengths 124, respectively, which may vary depending on characteristicsof a corresponding AV streaming service.

As shown in FIG. 5(c), each one of the first through n-th transmissionframes 102, 104, . . . and 106 preferably includes a downlink section140, a polling section 142, and a distribution control section 144. Inthe downlink section 140, real-time service-related transmission data istransmitted to another station and the downlink section 140 has avariable length 160. In the polling section 142, which has a variablelength 162, other real-time service-related stations may be polled, anda multiplex polling system may be used for improved performance. In thepolling section 142, a packet is forwarded from the subject station tothe control station or another station.

In the distribution control section 144, which has a variable length164, non-real-time service-related transmission data is preferablytransmitted to another station using a DCF system. If an additionalreal-time AV streaming service is generated, the message requesting theperiodic polling may be transmitted to the control station. Here, thedownlink section 140 is spaced apart from the polling section 142 by aPIFS 170, and the polling section 142 is spaced apart from thedistribution control section 144 by a DIFS 172.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of thedownlink section 140 of FIG. 5(c) according to the present invention,which preferably includes a plurality of packets 182, 184, . . . and186. Referring to FIG. 6, the plurality of packets 182, 184, . . . and186 are spaced apart from each other by a PIFS 180 to maintain thesharing control authority for the downlink section 140.

FIGS. 7(a) and (b) illustrate views explaining how the sharing controlauthority is obtained and how the message rejecting the request for thesharing control authority is received from the control station,respectively, after the message requesting the sharing control authorityhas been transmitted. In FIG. 7(a), there is no currentactive controlstation, while in FIG. 7(b), there is a currentan active controlstation.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), the request message broadcaster 70 transmits acontrol authority requesting message 192 via the output port OUT3. Afterthe shared resource controller 78 shown in FIG. 4 is idle for a PIFS190, sharing control authority is assumed in section 194.

For the case where an active control station exists, as shown in FIG.7(b), the request message broadcaster 70 broadcasts a control authorityrequesting message 202. Then after a SIFS 200 elapses, the requestrejecting message receiver 72 shown in FIG. 4 receives a controlauthority request rejecting message 204 from the active control station.After a variable time duration 206 during which the active controlstation completes its control task, a sharing control authorityreleasing message 208 is transmitted by the active control station,thereby releasing network sharing control authority.

At this time the request message broadcaster 70 again transmits acontrol authority requesting message 192 as in FIG. 7(a), and after theshared resource controller 78 is idle for a PIFS 190, sharing controlauthority is assumed in section 194. In an alternate embodiment, theactive control station may transmit the sharing control authorityreleasing message 208 directly to the requesting station, therebyallowing the requesting station to immediately assume sharing controlauthority in section 194, and thus avoiding the loss of time periods 190and 192.

As described above, in a preferred method for sharing hybrid resourcesin a wireless independent network, a station for the method, and a dataformat for the method and the station, non-real-time service-relateddata packets are transmitted/received using a distributed coordinationmethod and real-time service-related data packets aretransmitted/received using a centralized control method in a directmode. In other words, hybrid data is transmitted and received in awireless independent network. Thus, an efficiency of using resources ismaximized, a real-time service of the resources is supported, and a meshnetwork may be constituted. Further, loading may be prevented fromconcentrating in a control station and the control station is not fixed.As a result, a station can freely subscribe/withdraw to/from asubscribed network.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosedherein and, although specific terms are employed, they are used and areto be interpreted in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurpose of limitation. Accordingly, it will be understood by those ofordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as set forth in the following claims.

1. A method for sharing wireless hybrid resources among stations in awireless independent network, the method comprising: (a) determiningwhether currently transmitted data is related to a real-time servicewhen the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources is controlled by adistributed coordination method; (b) requesting and receiving a sharingcontrol authority by the distributed coordination method, andcontrolling the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources by acentralized control method in a direct mode until the real-time serviceends if it is determined that the currently transmitted data is relatedto the real-time service, wherein the sharing control authoritycorresponds to an authority which controls the sharing of the wirelesshybrid resources.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising (c) controlling the sharing of the wireless hybrid resourcesby the distributed coordination method if it is determined that thecurrently transmitted data is not related to the real-time service. 3.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein (b) comprises: (b1) requestingthe sharing control authority by the distributed coordination method ifit is determined that the currently transmitted data is related to thereal-time service; (b2) determining whether the request for the sharingcontrol authority is rejected; (b3) controlling the sharing of thewireless hybrid resources with a request for periodic polling, if it isdetermined that the request is rejected; (b4) determining whether thesharing of the wireless hybrid resources does not need to be controlledduring the real-time service, going back to step (b1) if it isdetermined that the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources does notneed to be controlled during the real-time service, and going back tostep (b3) if it is determined the sharing of the wireless hybridresources still needs to be controlled during the real-time service;(b5) receiving the sharing control authority and controlling the sharingof the wireless hybrid resources by the centralized control method inthe direct mode if it is determined that the request for the sharingcontrol system is not rejected; (b6) determining whether the real-timeservice ends and going back to step (b5) if it is determined that thereal-time service does not end; and (b7) returning the sharing controlauthority if it is determined that the real-time service ends, whereinthe sharing of the wireless hybrid resources is controlled by thedistributed coordination method.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1,wherein: (a) further comprises identifying a station subject to thereal-time service as a subject station; and (b) comprises requesting andreceiving the sharing control authority by the subject station inaccordance with the distributed coordination method, and controlling thesharing of the wireless hybrid resources by the subject station inaccordance with the centralized control method in the direct mode untilthe real-time service ends if it is determined that the currentlytransmitted data is related to the real-time service.
 5. The method asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the subject station receives the sharingcontrol authority when no other station in the wireless independentnetwork has the sharing control authority.
 6. A station for performingthe wireless hybrid resources sharing using a method for sharingwireless hybrid resources among stations in a wireless independentnetwork, the station comprising: a transmission data checking unitconfigured to check whether currently transmitted data is related to areal-time service and to generate a control signal in response to thecheck result; and a first controller configured to request and receive asharing control authority by a distributed coordination method and tocontrol sharing of the wireless hybrid resources by a centralizedcontrol method in the direct mode until the real-time service ends, inresponse to the control signal.
 7. The station as claimed in claim 6,further comprising a second controller which controls the sharing of thewireless hybrid resources by the distributed coordination method inresponse to the control signal.
 8. The station as claimed in claim 6,wherein the first controller comprises: a request message broadcaster,which broadcasts a control authority requesting message requesting thesharing control authority by the distributed coordination method inresponse to the control signal and an enable signal; a request rejectingmessage receiver, which receives a control authority request rejectingmessage rejecting the request for the sharing control authority andoutputs a disable signal in response to the received result; a pollingrequesting unit, which requests periodic polling in response to thedisable signal and the enable signal; a releasing message receiver,which receives a control authority releasing message in response to thecontrol signal and outputs the enable signal in response to the receivedresult; a shared resource controller, which receives the sharing controlauthority in response to the disable signal and controls the sharing ofthe wireless hybrid resources by the centralized control method in thedirect mode and transmits the sharing control authority releasingmessage to another station and returns the sharing control authority inresponse to an ending signal; and a service checking unit, which checkswhether the real-time service ends and outputs the checked result as theending signal, wherein a second controller controls the sharing of thewireless hybrid resources by the distributed coordination method inresponse to the ending signal.
 9. The data format as claimed in claim 8,wherein after the request message broadcaster broadcasts the sharingcontrol authority requesting message, the shared resource controller isidle for a PIFS and then receives the sharing control authority.
 10. Thedata format as claimed in claim 8, wherein the request rejecting messagereceiver receives the message rejecting the request for the sharingcontrol authority when a SIFS elapses after the request messagebroadcaster broadcasts the sharing control authority requesting message.11. The station as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first controllercontrols the sharing of the wireless hybrid resources when no otherstation among the stations has the sharing control authority.
 12. Acontroller for generating a data format for use in a station forperforming wireless hybrid resources sharing using a method for sharingwireless hybrid resources among stations in a wireless independentnetwork, the controller generated data format comprising: a controlauthority requesting message, which requests sharing control authorityby a distributed coordination method; a control authority releasingmessage, which releases the sharing control authority; and a pluralityof transmission frames, which are spaced apart from the controlauthority requesting message and the control authority releasingmessage, respectively, by a PIFS, are also spaced apart from each otherby one PIFS, and have variable lengths, respectively.
 13. The dataformat as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of the transmission framescomprises: a downlink section in which real-time service-related data istransmitted to another station and which has a variable length; apolling section in which the other station related to the real-timeservice is polled and which has a variable length; and a distributioncontrol section in which non-real-time service-related data istransmitted to another station and which has a variable length.
 14. Thedata format as claimed in claim 13, wherein the downlink section isspaced apart from the polling section by a PIFS.
 15. The data format asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the polling section is spaced apart fromthe distribution control section by a DIFS.
 16. The data format asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the downlink section comprises a pluralityof packets which are spaced apart from each other by a PIFS.
 17. Amethod for sharing wireless resources among stations in a wirelessnetwork, the method comprising: determining which station of thestations is to be a control station based on whether currentlytransmitted data transmitted by one station of the plurality of thestations satisfies a predetermined condition; assigning sharing controlauthority to control the sharing of the wireless resources to the onestation to make the one station the control station if a result of thedetermining is that the currently transmitted data transmitted by theone station satisfies the predetermined condition; and controllingtransmission of data by the one station after the sharing controlauthority has been assigned to the one station.
 18. The method of claim17, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling thetransmission of data by the one station by a centralized control method;and the method further comprises controlling transmission of data by theone station by a method other than the centralized control method if aresult of the determining is that the currently transmitted datatransmitted by the one station does not satisfy the predeterminedcondition.
 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising releasing thesharing control authority assigned to the one station after thecontrolling of the transmission of the data by the one station.
 20. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the predetermined condition is whether thecurrently transmitted data transmitted by the one station is related toa predetermined data type.
 21. A station for performing a method forsharing wireless resources among stations in a wireless network, thestation comprising: a transmission data checking unit to determinewhether the station is to be a control station based on whethercurrently transmitted data transmitted by the station satisfies apredetermined condition; and a first controller to: assign sharingcontrol authority to control the sharing of the wireless resources tothe station to make the station the control station if the transmissiondata checking unit determines that the currently transmitted datatransmitted by the station satisfies the predetermined condition; andcontrol transmission of data by the station after the first controllerhas assigned the sharing control authority to the station.
 22. Thestation of claim 21, wherein the first controller controls thetransmission of data by the station by a centralized control method; andthe station further comprises a second controller to controltransmission of data by the station by a method other than thecentralized control method if the transmission data checking unitdetermines that the currently transmitted data transmitted by thestation does not satisfy the predetermined condition.
 23. The station ofclaim 21, wherein the first controller releases the sharing controlauthority assigned to the station after the first controller hascontrolled the transmission of the data by the station.
 24. The stationof claim 21, wherein the predetermined condition is whether thecurrently transmitted data transmitted by the station is related to apredetermined data type.